What I Love about December!

Oh, what I love about December. I tried to post this earlier but when I started thinking about it, it was almost overwhelming. All that goes on in December is amazing. All we women accomplish in December is amazing. All we have to be thankful for is just amazing. Just a few things . . .

1. The family. It is just so fun to get to see family members you haven’t seen for months, some longer. To laugh and to share what’s going on in our lives. Then to spend those quiet moments with the ones you love the most– the ones who love you the most.
2. The weather. I love the change in seasons. The wonderful thing about living in Georgia, you have four distinct seasons. And even better, the winters aren’t harsh. Not like where I grew up! They can be cold but snow and ice are rare. I can deal with cold. I actually like it – turning on the fire logs, sipping hot chocolate and curling up and reading. Oooh, that’s my idea of a good time during the winter.
3. Church. I love, love, love going to worship services during Christmas. The music, the drama, the choir, the instruments, the decorations, the inspirational word about the Christ child. Our church has an annual Christmas Communion service I look forward to every year. We stand together as a family around a small table while one our staff presents a short message and then we take communion together. It is quiet, intimate and powerful.
4. Having my son home for a month. Priceless
5. Cookie decorating with my girl. We began this tradition last year. We spent one whole day making sugar cookies and decorating them with all manner of icings and candies. We did Santas, stars, bells – we personalized some, monogrammed some. We got really carried away with our creations but had an awesome day together. Can hardly wait to do that again this year.
6. Playing handbells. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them in my humble opinion. We are playing two songs this Sunday and two songs next Sunday. You really should hear us play “Carol of the Bells.” Many of us in this choir have been playing together for many years so when it gets to be Christmas, it is just a given that we’ll play it. We laugh about the year we played it and we got going so fast, that the director just put his arms down and stood there and watched us. Too funny.
7. Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshakes at ChickfilA. In a most disappointing turn of events I didn’t get one of these last weekend. I am, however, going to have one as soon as humanly possible.
8. White chocolate covered Oreos. The store only carries these at Christmas which is why I highly recommend you stock up. They are great frozen – not like I would know.
9. Choosing just the right gift. Don’t you just love to give someone a gift and they love it? When it is exactly what they wanted and they are super excited?
10. The annual Iron Roses Cookie Swap. If you have been to a cookie swap, you know how this works. Everyone brings dozens of cookies and we walk around the table putting cookies on our trays til they’re all gone. Or this year, we may mix it up a little and do individual bags for a twist. Then we play the gift exchange game where you pick a number and then can take a wrapped gift or one from another person. Sometimes we are really nice – sometimes we aren’t. Then we reveal our Secret Sister and choose a new one for the next year. It is so much fun!
11. Christmas ornaments. One of my absolute favorite things to do is to open the ornament box and remember each one. Now, I’m an ornament collector. I have tried to get one from wherever we have traveled and for every significant family milestone. But my favorite ones? The ones the kids made in school. The kids say every year – why do you keep these things? Because you made it and on the back you wrote your name in your own handwriting – in 1995. But mom, the macaroni is falling off. I say I’ll go get the glue and fix that right now. I wouldn’t part with these for anything. They are so precious to me. Every year I tell the same story about each ornament – where or how we got it and why it is important to me. I hope they remember.
12. Lanierland Basketball Tournament. Well, around here we love our high school basketball almost as much as we love our high school football. This tournament includes all of our area public high schools as well as the private school that G attended. All of them come together, girls and boys, and play two weekends of non-stop basketball. When G was playing, I think I sat one Saturday for seven hours and watched them all play. We still know several of the young people who are playing but now we pick and choose the games we see. It’s great.
13. My adopted sister is going to be a grandmother this month. She called me yesterday and said the doctor says it could be anytime. Her very first grandchild. So happy for her.
14. The food, oh the food. Do you have some things you eat just once or twice a year? I really wish D’s mom would make dressing for every holiday and birthday. And sweet potato pie. And tea cakes. I do have to say this about her tea cakes. Every year for my birthday, she gives me a whole batch of these homemade treats in a box as part of my present. It is great. So for about four days, I have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. They aren’t too sweet or rich - and with a glass of cold milk. Yum.
15. When you go to the mailbox and it is full of Christmas cards from your friends and family. I can hardly make it in the house before I’m tearing them open.
16. A trip to Tennessee. This year we are headed to Tennessee for family Christmas with D’s sister’s family. Traditionally, they travel here but this year we are going their way to celebrate.
17. Piling in the car and driving around looking at the Christmas decorations. I love the lights. Just a big kid I am, I guess. This was probably more fun when the kids were little but we still enjoy it. D and I have been known to go to our downtown square, which is decorated so beautifully, walk the loop around the square and then sit in the car and talk while enjoying the lights. It really doesn’t take much to amuse us.
18. Decorating my house. If you know me, you know I love seasonal decorating. Well, nothing says decorating like Christmas. So, as of this writing, I am in full swing getting out Santas, G’s Nutcracker collection, Christmas photos of the kids through the years, garland, trees, Christmas china, and setting tables. Oh, yes, it’s a lot of work but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
19. I fully realize that the economy is affecting all of us in one way or another. But I would like to say if at all possible, remember your favorite charity. You might not be able to give much but that’s okay. I just can hardly walk by the Salvation Army kettle without dropping something in. It just seems wrong not to. Consider supporting a local toy drive, or a Secret Santa family, or Operation Christmas Child, or sponsor a child through an organization like Compassion International or just help your neighbor or friend who has a difficult time during the holidays. But, honestly, this is not a lesson for December. It is a lesson for always. Let’s just stop and remember the reason we give.
20. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6